HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT CANADA Labour Market Programs Regional Headquarters - BC/Yukon Region Library Square, 15th Floor 300 W. Georgia St. Vancouver, BC V6B 6G3 The underlying principle of assisting with Employment Equity (including people with disabilities) is fundamental to Labour Market programs and means that a variety of programs and services will continue to be offered to people with disabilities through a network of Human Resources Centres of Canada and support agencies.
For more information, check the telephone directory blue pages under Government of Canada, Human Resources Development Canada for the Human Resources Centre in your area or see the Listings in this directory under Government Addresses.
HRDC Programs include:
The Opportunities Fund:
The Opportunities Fund helps persons with disabilities prepare for, obtain and keep employment or self-employment.The Opportunities Fund supports a broad array of employment activities for persons with disabilities who are not eligible for Employment Benefits under the Employment Insurance Act. The include but are not limited to the following:
- encouraging employers to hire workers with disabilities;
- helping individuals with disabilities to start their own business;
- providing work experience which can lead to on-going employment;
- increasing the employment skill levels of persons with disabilities;
- assisting their integration into the workplace through services tailored to meet their special needs;
- facilitating access to employment or to employment services through personal supports.
Individuals who would like more information, or groups interested in sponsoring a project should contact their local Human Resources Centre of Canada.
Information on the Opportunities Fund may be obtained in Alternate Format through InfoTouch. Call 1-800-788-8282 on touch-tone or through teletypewriter (TTY) or http://hrdc-drhc.gc.ca.
Employment Benefits and Support Measures:
The following people are eligible to receive Employment Benefits:Unemployed individuals:
- currently receiving Employment Insurance (EI) benefits; or
- whose EI benefit period ended within the last three (3) years; or
- who received EI maternity or parental benefits with the past five (5) years and are re-entering the labour force after having left it to care for newborn or newly-adopted children.
If you are eligible then you can access numerous programs and services to assist your return to the labour market. These include such services as targeted wages subsidies, self employment assistance, and many others. a return to work action plan is done for each client which is specific to the individual's particular needs and circumstances.
HRDC has also developed a number of tools that job seekers and employers can use on their own or with minimal help from staff. These tools are available to everyone, whether or not individuals are eligible to receive Insurance Benefits or employment benefits. These tools are:
- labour market information;
- self-help return to work tools;
- the Electronic Labour Market Exchange.
Contact your local Human Resources Centre or http://hrdc-drhc.gc.ca for further information.
Human Resources Development Canada also funds many employment services agencies to assist persons with disabilities gain access to the labour market. Contact your local Human Resources Centre of Canada to locate organizations that can assist you.